Arrests for driving under the influence appear to be on the decline in the region, although some law enforcement agencies are still among the top in the state for enforcement.

A study by the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists of DUI arrests last year showed the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department was responsible for the most drunken-driving arrests in the region last year, with 61. Jerseyville police were closed behind, with 47 arrests in 2016.

About 81 percent of nearly 700 law enforcement agencies in the state responded to the group’s survey, which has been conducted annually since 1990. The Rockford Police Department was first with 459 arrests.

“Impaired driving has been and will remain a high priority for [us]. We are proud to consistently be one of the top agencies for combating DUI,” Rockford Police Chief Daniel O’Shea said.

Rockford police made about five fewer DUI arrests in 2016 than in 2015. Other agencies also reported a drop in arrests.

In Morgan County, the 32 drunken-driving arrests in 2016 was a decline, Sheriff Randy Duvendack said.

“For several years our numbers were higher, but they’ve been decreasing over the past several years,” he said.

Morgan County was 40th in the state among those reporting DUI numbers, tying with Fayette and Perry counties.

“I hope it’s people just getting smarter, planning for a designated driver or stopping earlier,” Duvendack said. “I hope it’s people learning to be more responsible.”

Duvendack said many groups are promoting an anti-drinking and driving message and children are being taught at younger ages that driving under the influence is wrong. He said that could be leading to the decrease in arrests.

While the department doesn’t have specific DUI-targeting programs at present, Duvendack said deputies are always on the watch.

Other law enforcement agencies included in the survey, and the reported DUI arrests in 2016 were:

Beardstown, 7

Brown County, 9

Calhoun County, 12

Cass County, 12

Greene County, 13

Jacksonville, 18

Roodhouse, 26

Scott County, 2

South Jacksonville, 4

Waverly, 1

White Hall, 34

Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1233, or on Twitter @JCNews_samantha.